Railroad-crossing signal



May l1 1926.

C. A. MCDONALD RAILROAD CROSSING SIGNAL Filed Deo. 5, 1925 2 Sheetseet 1ATTORNEY.

May 11 ,1926. 1,584,624

C. A. MCDONALD RAILROAD CROSSING SIGNAL Filed Dec. s, 1925 2sheets-sheet 2 INVEN TOR.

Fatented May 1l, 1925.

Sriqie'liei CHESTER A. MCBGNLD, OF PORT ATI-IUR, TEXAS.

RAILRGAD-CBGSSNG SIGNAL.

Application filed December 3, 1&25.

rlhis invention relates to the class of signals and pertainsparticularly to a railroad crossing signal.

rEhe primary object of this invention is the provision, in a manner ashereinafter set forth, of a railroad crossing signal designed to beoperated by a vehicle approaching a railroad crossing to sound a warningsignal to a vehicle driver: to caution him that a railroad crossing isnear at hand.

rlhe invention contemplates the provision of an elongated bar memberresiliently supported in a slot transversely of a roadway in such amanner as to project a slight distance above the surface of the roadway.[it each end of the rod cables are attached Vwhich lead upwardly intogong housings where they are attached to a trip mechanism by means ofwhich a gong hammer may be tripped to ring the gong in the housing whena vehicle wheel depresses and releases the bar extending across the.roadway.

Another object of the invention is the provision, in a manner ashereinafter set forth. of a railroad crossing signal which is of simpleconstruction, strong and durable, having few moving parts to get out oforder, and inexpensive to manufacture and set up.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings forming a part of this specification, with the understandingthat the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with theshowing of the drawings but may be changed and modified so long as suchchanges and modifications mark no material vdeparture from the salientfeatures of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 shows the signal structure embodying thisinvention in elevation, also showing in transverse section a roadway inwhich the lower portion of the mechanism is position-ed.

Figure 2 is a transverse section taken upon the line 2-2 of Figure 1and,

Figure 3 is an enlarged detailed sectional view taken transversely ofthe signal operating bar and certain of the supporting elements thereof.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals ofreference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, aportion of a roadway is indicated semi 1ro. raars.

at 1 and embedded in this roadway transversely thereof is an elongatedhousing formed of the side and end walls 2, bottoni 3 and top e. Asshown in Figures 2 and 3 the top 4 is of materially greater thicknessthan the sides and bottom and is provided with a central longitudinallyextending slot 5. This housing is so placed in the roadwa that thesurface of the top `t comes liush wit i the. surfaceof the roadway asshown.

Secured longitudinally of the bottom 3 by means of a centrally aperturedplate 6, is a series of vertically arranged cylinders 7, the cylindersbeing threadably secured in the apertures of the plates Gi and theplates are secured to the bottom of the casing by means of trie screws8. The upper end of each of the cylinders is open but the opening is ofless diameter than the diameter of the cylinder and extending throughthis opening is an arm 9 which is carried by a piston 10 which is housedwithin the cylinder and adapted to reciprocate therein. interposedbetween the piston 10 and the bottom 3 of the casing against which thelower end of the cylinders 7 open, is a coiled spring 11 which normallyacts, as shown in Figure 3, to maintain the pistons 10 in upwardly pro-)ected position thus forcing the arms 9 to the upward limit of theirmovement.

The upper end of each of the arms 9 is threaded as indicated at 12 andthe threaded ends of these arms are each extended into a shank 13carried by retaining collar 14. These retaining collars are in alignmentlongitudinally of the casing, and have extended therethrough the signaltrip bar 15 which bar extends beyond the ends of the casing as is shownin Figure 1. The height of the trip bar supporting members is such thatsubstantially half of the trip bar extends above the surface of the topi and the roadbed 1 and unless some heavy body is passing over the tripbar to cause it to be depressed the spring members 11 will cause thetrip bar to be extended through the slot 5 at all times.

Each end of the trip bar 15 has a coupling member 16 threaded thereonand into this coupling member a nipple 17 is threaded. On the nipple 17,on each end of the trip rod 15 there is fitted an upwardly 'extendingarm 18 having an aperture through the extended upper end thereof, andsecuring this arm 18 in position upon the nipple 17, is a cap member 19?hlounted in the bases 20, of which there are two, one at each end or"the trip rod l5, are upright posts 21, to the upper end of each of whichthere is adjustably secured by ineans ot' the clanip yol-:e and e-Yscrew 22 and 23 respectively, a gong e c: `ing box 2st- The boxes 2lareopenupon their undertaces and are covered by nieans of the heavy screens25.

lVithin each ot the houses 2l there is secured a gong 26 adjacent whichthere is pivotall;7 lnounted a trip hannner 2T controlled by the pivotedtrip arin 2S. Extending troni and connecting one end oi this trip arin28 with the apertured end o3" the arm 1S carried upon the tripbar 15, isa cable 29.

Freni the foregoing description it will be readily seen that upon thepas:Y ge of a vehicle across the trip bar l5, the bar be depressedagainst the tension of the springs 11 and will pull down upon the cable29 thus tripping the trip arni 2S to allow the hannner 27 to strike thegongs 26. lVarning is thus given to the driver of the vehicle which hasdepressed the trip bar l5 that soxne danger is ahead such as a railroadcrossing, sharp curve or steep descent, and the driver can then be onhis guard and proceed with more caution.

Having thus described iny invention wha I claiin is 1. In a roadwaysignal of the characterset forth, an elongated housing adapted to beembedded in a roadway transversely thereof and having a slotted topadapted to be arranged flush with the surface or said road, alongitudinal series of vertically positioned cylinders mounted in saidcasing beneath said slotted top, a resiliently supported piston withineach cylinder and normally maintained in upwardly projected positiontherein, a vertical arin carried by each o1 said pistons, a trip bararranged vithin and e.;tending slightly above the slotted top of saidcasing above said vert' al arins, ineans for connecting the arnis to thebar for the support ot the saine, a signal gong supported over said tripbar at one end thereof, and a pull cable connecting one end or said tripbar with said signal gong and adapted to aetuate the gong upon thedepression o the trip bar b v a vehicle.

In a roadway signal of the character set forth, lneans to provide ahousing adapted to be litted in a roadway transvergely thereof andhaving a slotted top adapted to be arranged flush with the surface oitsaid road, a longitudinal series of vertically positioned cylindersmounted in said casing beneath said slotted top, a coil` spring housedin each cylinder, a piston within each cylinder normally projectedupwardly by the spring therein, an arin carried by each pisf ton andprojecting .pwardly from .said cylinder, a trip bar arranged in andextending slightly above the top edge ei said slot, a plurality ofnienibers carried by said bar, threaded connection between each 1neinber and the upper end oit an aojacent arm, supporting said bar freinsaid arnis, a trip gong adjacent one end of said bar, and a pull cableconnecting said bar end with said gong to trip the saine upon depressionof the bar.

In testimony whereof, I allix my signature hereto.

CHESTER A. MCDONALD.

